Central Thailand April 2012

Central Thailand 1-7th April, 2012

Jan Celis, Rudolf Lenaerts, Jan Arras from Belgium
Peter Ericsson

The goal of this trip was to see as many species as possible as it was the first time in South-East Asia for Jan, Rudi and Jan. All experienced and passionate birders wanting to bird non stop.
All in all 297 species were recorded which I thought was slightly low. Strangely so, no cyornis (blue flycatchers) were seen and several common Sunbirds were not encountered.
Instead we saw some passage migrant flycatchers: Mugimaki, Yellow-rumped and Blue and White, all lovely birds.
The Kings project at Lampakbia was closed so we dipped on snipes and a couple of crakes.
We also struggled with Pittas as Eared wasnt calling and Blue only heard a couple of times at Khao Yai. Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo was only heard.
Nevertheless, a good many birds were seen including some iconic birds from the Broadbill, Pheasant, Kingfisher and Trogon families.

The following is a daily account:

Day 1: Headed strait for Bahktaley. Managed to find 1 Spoon-billed Sandpiper but in general there were few shorebirds around. Nordmanns Greenshank and White-faced Plovers were no longer present in the area. Visited the sand spit and some fields en route.

Day 3: Higher levels of Kaengkrachan was slightly on the slow side but yielded some good birds: Long-tailed Broadbills, Red-bearded Bee-eater, White-collared Babbler, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Red-headed Trogon, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Golden Babbler, Grey Treepie, Blue-throated Barbet, Great and Wreathed Hornbill to name a few.

Day 4: It would have been nice to have spent another day or two at Kaengkrachan but time didnt allow so in the morning we set off for Khao Lookchang. Our main target was Black-headed Woodperckers and they didnt let us down. Also Red-breasted Parakeets, Asian Barred Owlet and Lineated Barbets showed well.
Late morning was spent at fields of Petburi. All 3 species of Weavers (Streaked, Asian Golden, Baya) in full breeding plumages. A lovely Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker close to the car was a nice treat but no Aquila eagles showed around the fields.
The late afternoon saw us trying for Limestone Wren Babbler North of Salaburi but birds didnt show (morning is so much better).

Day 7: One last morning at Khao Yai and then off to the fish ponds at Muang Boran. The latter was teeming with birds and we saw several new ones for the trip: Striated Grassbird, White-browed Crake, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Chestnut Munia, Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Long-tailed Shrike, Yellow-bellied Prinia and Yellow, Cinnamon and Black Bitterns.